Army announces Fort Hood victims will receive Purple Heart

From Fox News:

Secretary of the Army John McHugh announced Friday that victims of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre will receive the Purple Heart, in an about-face for the military which initially described the attacks as "workplace violence." The decision to award the Purple Heart was first reported by Fox News. 

In a written statement, McHugh cited a recent change in the law that allowed the Army to proceed with the medals. "The Purple Heart's strict eligibility criteria had prevented us from awarding it to victims of the horrific attack at Fort Hood," McHugh said in a statement. 

"Now that Congress has changed the criteria, we believe there is sufficient reason to allow these men and women to be awarded and recognized" with either the Purple Heart or, for civilians, the Defense of Freedom medal. "It's an appropriate recognition of their service and sacrifice," McHugh said. 

Victims of the 2009 shooting and their families had been pressing the military to award the Purple Heart, and the benefits that come with it, for years. 

They got a boost when Congress passed recent funding legislation requiring the Defense Department to reconsider whether the victims qualify for the honor. 

The Army statement on Friday said the legislation expanded the eligibility criteria by broadening what can be considered an attack by a foreign terrorist organization. 

The Army determined the shooting could be considered an attack because the shooter "was in communication with the foreign terrorist organization before the attack."